Fresh vs. Canned vs. Frozen: Which Is Better?

Canned or frozen produce can be more convenient—but are you giving up nutrition for convenience?

Nothing beats fresh produce. Still, in the kitchen, using canned or frozen fruits and vegetables can be a lot more
convenient—but is it worth it? Are you giving up nutrition for convenience? Although a fresh fruit or vegetable would
never be considered unhealthy, surprisingly there are a few circumstances where frozen and even canned could
offer you more health benefits than fresh. Here’s a closer look at a few examples of fresh foods vs. their canned or
frozen counterparts.

Fresh Tomatoes vs. Canned Tomatoes

If you’ve ever eaten a tomato in February, then you are well aware of the challenges that a fresh tomato faces. It’s a
seasonal food. But even in season, canned tomatoes offer something that fresh can’t. Tomatoes are preserved using heat,
which releases lycopene—a carotenoid that may help prevent prostate and breast cancer. And canned tomatoes are
super-easy: they’re already peeled, chopped and ready to cook with! Canned tomatoes are now available in glass jars or
aseptic boxes in addition to “BPA-free” cans. That’s good news, because many cans, especially those used for acidic foods
like tomatoes, are manufactured with BPA (bisphenol A). Why worry about BPA? Studies have linked BPA to infertility,
heart disease and diabetes. In March 2012, the FDA ruled against a proposed ban of BPA use in food and drink packaging,
based on “insufficient evidence” that BPA from these sources causes any ill effects. However, the FDA is encouraging
packagers to find alternatives to BPA, and studies on its effects are ongoing.

Winner: Canned tomatoes!

Fresh Peas vs. Frozen Peas

Unless you have a garden, frozen peas are the way to go. Why? Peas’ sugars turn into starch as soon as they are picked.
After 24 hours, those sweet little green gems can be grainy and dull-tasting. Frozen peas, on the other hand, are picked
and frozen at the peak of ripeness, halting the process of sugars turning to starch, so it’s a better bet that frozen
peas will have the sweet taste you’re looking for. Plus, you don’t have to do any shucking!

Winner: Frozen peas!

Fresh Lemon Juice vs. Bottled Lemon Juice

Do you squeeze the juice from a fresh lemon when you need it or do you just reach into your fridge and use the bottled
stuff? If it’s the latter, then you might want to reconsider putting in the effort to use fresh lemon juice. Bottled
lemon juice may have additives that have very little to do with lemons (like citric acid, sugar and water). And if you’ve
ever tasted bottled lemon juice, you’ll notice that the flavor is a little off—not bright and lemony like the real stuff.
Stick with squeezing fresh lemons. To have lemon juice on hand without always buying fresh lemons, squeeze a bunch of
lemons and freeze the juice in ice cube trays to use as needed.

Winner: Fresh lemon juice!

Fresh Broccoli vs. Frozen Broccoli

Yes, it’s true that frozen vegetables may be even better than fresh vegetables, nutritionally speaking (depending on
their season and how long the fresh stuff has been on the shelf). But there are circumstances where frozen vegetables
can’t beat fresh vegetables. Take broccoli, for example. Frozen broccoli is watery and often mushy when it’s cooked. Add
it to anything in its frozen state and you’ll end up with a watery mess. It is convenient that it comes in prechopped
florets, but you’re better sticking with fresh. If it’s convenience you’re after, look for bags of fresh florets instead
of crowns to cut down on prep time.

Winner: Fresh broccoli!

Fresh Salmon vs. Canned Salmon

Tuna isn't the only fish that comes in a can! Salmon does, too, but should you use it over fresh? The answer is, it
depends. The pros of canned salmon are that it’s inexpensive ($2.50 for a can compared to $13 a pound for fresh), it has
a long shelf life and it’s cooked and ready to use. The cons are that it’s higher in sodium than fresh and some cans come
with skin and bones (some people find that off-putting). And you can’t substitute a can of salmon for a pretty fillet in
a recipe. Stick with canned salmon if you want a quick sandwich filling or use it to top a salad. If it’s a fillet you’re
after, stick with fresh.

Fresh Spinach vs. Frozen Spinach

There’s a reason Popeye reached for a can of spinach rather than a fresh bunch. He knew that he could get more bang for
his buck. You can squeeze a lot of spinach into a can or a box, delivering more spinach in less volume. (You would have
to eat a mountain of fresh to get what you can in a 10-ounce box of frozen.) We prefer frozen spinach over canned—it’s
got better flavor and is lower in sodium—but the same principle applies. One cup of frozen spinach has more than four
times the amount of nutrients, such as fiber, folate, iron and calcium, than a cup of fresh spinach, so if you want to
power up, do it with frozen spinach.